Lumber-grading machine



l. G. IVICDONOUGH.

LUMBEH GRADING MACHINE.

'APPLicATIoN FILED JULY 3|'. 1916. 1,436,998..

RENEWED JUNE 26, |922.

Patented N 0V. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. G. MCDONOUGH.

LUMBER GRADING MACHINE.

APPLicATloN FILED JULY 31.1916. RENEwED1uNE26,1922.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@rra/240526 To all whom t may concern.' y

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

iran STATES ATENT OFFICE LUMBER-GRADING MACHINE.

Application filed July 31, 1916, Serial No. 112,417. Renewed .Tune 26,1922. Serial Nb.' 570,934.

Beit known that I, JOSEPH G. MCDoNoUGH, a 'citizen of the United States,resident of Eau Claire, county of Eau Claire, State of Wisconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Lumber-Grading Machines,of which the following is a specication.

In .handling dressed lumber or timber, it is frequently desirable totrim it or cut out pieces that are checked or otherwise defective andre-grade the remainder or the part cut out.`

- The object, therefore, of my invention is to provide a machine bymeans of which an attendant can grade lumber or timber of differentquality as it is trimmed or cro/ssl cut, or before or after.

A further object is to .provide a machine by means of which atrade-markas well as a grade characteror mark can be applied to thepieces of lumber or timber.

The invention consists generally in vari-v ous constructions, andcombinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the claims.l

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a grading machineembodying my invention, l

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional 'viewt ofthe same,

Figure 3 isA a horizontalsectional view, showing a plan of the gradingwheel and the operating mechanism,

Figure 4 is a detail view of the mechanism for operating the'gradingwheel,

.Figure 5 is a vlew corresponding to Fig-- ure 4, looking at theopposite side of the wheel, v

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view, of the' push barsfor engaging thegrading wheelw Figure 7 is a front view, partially in sec` tion, of thegrading wheel operatmg bars,

Figure 8 is a detail View showing the en gagement of the grading wheels:with the I mking roll,

Fi ures 9, 10 and 11 are detail views showmg'the application of thegrade-marks or characters to the end surface of a piece of lumber,

In the drawing, 2 represents the frame of the machine and 3 is thetrimming saw mounted above said frame. 4 is a lumber these tables andtheir abuttin I platform, provided on said frame, and 6 is a tablehinged at 8 in said platform and having a limited 'vertical movement.This table is. counterbalanced preferably by means of a lever 9,centrally mounted in said frame andV having a counter-balance weight 1()at one end and connected by a link 11 at its opposite end with themiddle portion of said table. There are two of ends are spaced apart, asindicated in igure 1, to allow the saw 3 to operate between them, thesaw beingswun'g by suitable mechanism usually provided in machines ofthis kind and whichl do not consider necessary to describe orillustrate. l

12 is a rod, mountedto slide in bearings 13 on vsaid frame and having acollar 14 for engaging the underside of the table 6 and raising it outof alignment with the table 6a. An arm 12 is mounted on the upper end ofthe rod and overhangs the table for engaging and clamping the lumberduring the operation of applying the grading mark thereto; A walkingbeam 15 is centrally pivoted at 16 and` has a pin and slot connection 17at one end with the rod 12 and at its other end has a similar connection-with a second` rod 12, the parts of ,the ma chine being duplicated, onegrading device being lowered as the other is raised, and thecorresponding parts of the machine l will designate by the samereference numerals with the addition of the exponent a frame and has alink connection 20 with'- the rod 12, the upward movement of this rod tothe position shown in Figures 1 and 2 being effected by the downwardmovement of the rod 12a and the correspondingA depression of the lever18. When this rod is lifted, a corresponding movement will be impartedto the table above it through the engagement of the collar 14 therewithand space will be provided for the upward tilting movement of thegrading wheel and its transverse movement across the face of the lumber.

A shaft 19 is mounted transversely of the machine and is provided with acarriage 20. A hub 21 is journaled in said carriage and a shaft 22 ismounted to slide vertically in` said hub and carries lpper and lowergrading surfaces 24 and 25. pon

A treadle 18 is pivoted at 19 to the these surfaces' the trade-mark ofthe conand also the different grade marks or .characters used forindicating the diiferent quality of lumber.

I provide a grading wheel in connection with each table, each having anoperating mechanism and one wheel positioned to be l u the grading wheelfrom ahorizontal to a `vertical axis. The carriage 20 is also free toslide with the shaft 19 to carry the wheel back and forth across the endface of the lumber to be marked. The grading wheel is provided withcentering pins 26 positioned' to contact with a flange 27 which operatesto revolve the wheel and adjust it so that the branding marks orcharacters will be roperly positioned to contact'with the en surface ofthe lumber as the wheels moved across it. Branding rolls 28 are mountedtocontact with the grading wheel and with rolls 29 and 30, the latterhaving ink delivered thereto through a pipe 31 from a pump 32 that isconnected withx-the walking beam 15 through a link 33.

The roll 28 has a ratchet 34 and carries a sheave 35 over which a cable36 having a counter-shaft balance-weight 37 passes to the treadle lever18,' This roll will be re'- volved to have ink applied to the surface Ithereof when the lever 18 is depressed and when-the carriage 20is-,moved the grading wheelwill contact withthe inking roll and bethoroughly inked preparatory to tilting it upward to a vertical axis andapplying the ink to the end surface of the lumber. One surface of thegrading wheel is preferably provided with the trade-mark of the concernusing the machine and grading figures, while the other surface hasasimilar trade-mark thereon and grading letters (see Figures 9, 10'and11) said wheel being capable of adjustment vertically to bring eithersurface into marking position, and I will now proceed to describe themechanism which I prefer to employ for performing this adjustment.

Referring to Sheet 2 of the drawings,- 38 represents a lever pivoted at39 and having a fork connection at 40 with the hub lof the gradingwheels. 41 is a slide having a slot 42 and a pin 43 passes through saidslot, with its ends mounted in the Walls of a guide 44. Downwardmovement of the slide .41 will depress one end of the lever 38 and raisethe other end to lift the lower gradin surface of the wheel intoposition tobran the end surface of the lumber, and when* `the slide 41is released, the weight of the grading wheel will tilt the lever 38downwardly and bring the upper grading surface opposite the surface' ofthe lumber.

As previously stated, the grading wheel is revolved by contact of itspins 26 with the flange 27 and for the purpose of adjusting the propergrading numeral or character in position to contact with the lumber Iprovide a series of lugs 45 in the hub of the grading wheel in staggeredrelation to one another and in position to contact with the A bars 46,47, 48 and 49, which are mounted in the carriage 20 in position to beoperated by the levers 50, 51, 52 and 53, said levers being mounted onthe pin 43 and having a rocking movement thereon to operate their barsrespectively and project them into" the path of a lug on the hub` of thegrading wheel. These bars 'have projections 54 thereon engaged bysprings 55 which normally hold the bars in a-retracted position vor outof the path of the lugs on the grading wheel, The upper grading surfaceI prefer to equip with -the grading numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4, and thelower surface with the letters A, B, C 'and D, and by the operation ofthe lever 38 and the series of levers 50 to 53 any desired grade numberor character can be applied to the end surface of the lum-.-

ber and applied in such a Way through the prmting surfaces of thewheelsthat a permanent 'grade mark will appear and the planing millturning out the lumber can be easily determined by retail dealers orbuilders.

This marking or grading mechanism Scan be readily adapted for marking orimpressing other surfaces of the lumber or timber, as well as the ends.

When the 4treadle 18a is depressed', the sheave 35a Vwill revolve theshaft upon which the inking rollersv 28 and 28a are mounted andtheroller 28 will' be revolved toward the right in Figure 2. The markingdiscs- 24 and 25 being in contact with the roller, will. revolve also,the pins 26 being out of contact with the guide bar 27 when in thisposition. Ink will then be applied to all the characters upon the disc.Upon grasping the handle 44 and depressing the lever 53, as shown inFigure 5, the bar 49 will be pushed into the path of the lug'45 on theub 21 (see Figure 6) and stop thediscs from revolving. If the characterson the discs are out of alignment when movement is thus checked, one ofthe pins 26 will come in contact with the end of the guide bar 27. Asthe lever 44 is pushed forward Whilestill in its horizontal position,the pin will contact with the ide bar 27 and revolve the discssuliicientIji1 to return the lug 45 into contact with the bar 49. Thelever is then raised to its vertical position (see Figures 3,

with the bar 27 and Whilethe lever 44 is be ing raised. It will also be'noted that the slide 41v cannot be pressed down until afte/r the ,lever53 is moved and the discs aie being raised,to .the vertical position forthe reason that the discs as shown-in Figure 8,-

would strike the gui e bar 27 and could not be pushed outward. The adingsurface 26 coming in contact with the board whenK the disc is raisedwill revolve and impress thereon the desired character.

l claim as my invention:

1. A grading Wheel comprising upper and lower peripheral gradingsurfaces having -marks or charactersthereon, means for raising andlowering said wheel to bring its grading surfaces into alignment withthe surface ofthe lumberto be marked said wheel having a movement acrossthefface of the lumber and also revolving on a vertical exis and meansfor supporting lumber adjacent to said wheel.

2. A grading wheel having a surface provided with peripheral gradingmarks, said wheel being mounted for vertical and rot\ary movement, alev'er device for rasing said wheel to adjust its peripheral gradingmarks opposite the face ofthe lumber, a series of bars coresponding innumber to the different grading characters and numbers and positioned toadjust a certain designated mark or number opposite the face of thelumber, and levers for operating said bars toadjust them respectively inthe path of said grading wheel, said wheel having means opposite themarks respectively for engaging said bars and means for supportinglumber adjacent to said wheel.

3. A 'grading Wheel having a plurality of grading faces provided withmarks or charactersv thereon andfmounted to revolve against the face ofthe lumber to be marked, and means for causin said wheel in its rotarymovement to adjust a dp'redetermined mark or character in position tocontact with the lumber and means for supporting lumber adjacent to saidwheel. s

' 4. The combination, with a frame, of tilting lumber tables mountedtherein and having abutting ends, means for raising either one of 'sais'tructed space opposite the end of the lumber on the other table,lumber grading wheels mounted to move into the space beneath the raisedtable in position to contact with. the end surface of the lumber on theother table, said'wheels having a plurality of grading surfaces andmounted for tables to provide an unobf rotary and vertical movement ontheir axes,

and means for raising and lowerinng said wheels to adjust said gradingsurfaces in the plane of the'lumber to be marked.

5. The combination, with a frame having a table adapted to` suportlumber thereon,

of a grading wheel having a plurality of peripheral grading surfaces, acarriage mounted for movement .transversely of thel lumber table andwherein -said Wheel is journaledfor rotary and axial movement, saidcarriage being mounted to tilt and adjust said Wheel in a positionopposite the surface of the lumber to be marked, and means for raisingand lowering said wheel to adjust Said grading surfaces in lumber.

6. The combination, with means for sepalignment to the surface of thearating the severed ends of pieces of lumber or timber, of a gradingdevice mounted-v to make a mark or impression on the severed end andmeans for positioning the proper grading mark opposite the ,surface tobeimpressed. l l

7. The combination, with means for separating the severed ends of piecesof lumber or timber, of a grading device provided with groups of gradingmarks and means foradjusting said grading device to present the propermark opposite the surface'to be im- ,y

pressed.

8. The combination, with means for separating the severed abutting endsof pieces of lumber or timber, of a g'rdaing wheel having peripheralmarks or characters thereon, mechanism for elevating said wheel to itsmarking position, and selective means the end surfaces-of such pieces oflumber or timber, and selective means for adjusting said wheelsrotatively to present the desired marking character opposite the surfaceto be impressed.

10. The combination, with lumber or timber supporting means, 'ofagrading Idevice mounted for adjustment opposite the end surface of-thetimber, and selective means for regulating the rotary adjustment of saidgrading deviceto present the desired mark or character opposite thesurface to be impressed. l,

11. The combination, with a lumber or timber su porting means and aclamp for holding t e lumber, of al grading device mountedI for axialand rotary movement and mechanism for eecting such movement to present aselected mark oppositel the surface to 'be impressed,

' timber.

.j arating the severed abutting ends of l0 (pieces of lumber or timber,of a grading e'vi mounted for applying a grading mark or Characterto'the faces of pieces of lumber of varying thickness, and selectivemeans for positioning said device to present the de- 'sired markorcharacter to the surface tov be impressed.

let. The combination, with means for 's eparating abutting pieces oflumber or tlmber, of means for applying a trade-mark and a grade-marktoan exposed end surface of any or all of said pieces of lumber ortimber. 1

15. The combination, with a lumber supportingtable having means forholdinga piece of lumber vor timber thereon with a transversely severedend surface, of a grading device mounted for movement back and. forth onsaid surface for applying a grade mark thereto. j l

16. In combination, with lumber or timber supporting means adapted tohold pieces of.

lumber `one above the other, a vertically adjustable grading device, andmeans for operation by anl attendant for'selectively adjusting a gradingname onsaid device and moving it into contact with the lumber or l 17.`In Combination, 'with lumber or amber supporting means adapted tosupport pieces `of lumber one above the other, avertically adjustablegrading device, and means for operation by an attendant for selectivelypositioning a grading 'name and engaglng a surface'of the lumber ortimber with said grading name. Y

18. In combination, with lumber or timber supporting means, a gradingdevice, means for operation by an attendant for selectively adjusting agrading mark'on said device on al horizontal and vertical axis forContact with the surface of the lumber or timber.

.19. In combination with'lumber or timber.

-supporting means ada ted for surface inspection of lumber of differentlength, thickness 'and grades, a grading device, and

ration by an attendant for selectively adjusting a. grading name on saiddevice lto apply the proper grade mark to i pieces of different lengthand thickness and contacting said device with such pieces.`

20. 'In combination with lumber or timber supporting means, a. gradingdevice` adjustable vertically on a. horizontal axis and having aplurality of grade names therefor for selective contact with thelumber,and mechanism for positioning said grade namesfo'r contact with thelumber.

21. In combination, with lumber 0r timber supporting means, a device adjustable Vvertically and on ahorizontal axis, and means for .operation byan attendant to selectively engage said device and the' lum- -ber ortimber.

22. The combination, with lumber or timber supporting means adopted forinspection and determination of the grade of lumber, of a grading devicemounted for adjustment opposite surfaces of the lumber of dilferentthickness and length and-selective means for regulating the rotaryadjustment of said grading device to present the desired mark op-positethe surface to be marked.

` 23. The combination with means separat.- ing pieces of lumber ofdifferent grades/but of the same dimensions so that the grade of eachpiece may be separately determined, of lmeans for applying the pro ergrade mark 'to each of the pieces of lumber of different grade. I A

24. The combination with means se arating pieces of lumber differing ingra e and' in quality and in size, of .a grade marking device applyingthe proper grade mark to the pieces'o-f different grade, quality andsize.

25. In combination with meansifor supporting pieces of lumber or timberone above the other, of a grading device mounted, forV ,y

vertical movement to a. grade marking position opposite the surface ofthe lumber .or-

timber to be marked, and means for selectively adjusting said gradingdeviceto present the proper grading mark in 'position for contact withthe surface of the lumber or timber.

26. In combination with means for supportino pieces of lumber or timberone above grading device belowthe plan of the lum-l I y ber and mountedfor vertical movement 'to a grade-marking position adjacent the surface`of the lumber or timber to be marked, and

means within control of the operator for selectively adjusting saidgrading device to present the proper grading mark in position forcontact with the surface of. the lumber or timber. I

'In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand 'this 20 dav of Jul1916.

JOSEPH GILBERT Mo NOUGH.

